Signal flag



w. 0. CARRIQNGTON.

SIGNAL FLAG. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 192i- 1,420,967,Patentedlune'27,1922.

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OFFECE.

SIGNAL FLAG.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. GARnnve- 'roN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Inver Grove, in the county of Dakota and State ofMinnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Flags, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved signal flagsparticularly adapted for use on locomotive engines.

More particularly it is my object to provide such flags in combinationwith a protective housing and means for quickly displaying or furlingthe signals.

Flags, of the class to which my invention relates, are used to identifythe character of certain trains and are usually displayed on each sideof the front of a locomotive. According to standard practice regular trans running upon schedule time, display no slgnal; special trains displaya white flag and second sections or other trains, running off regularschedule, display a green flag. The flags in common use for this purposeare pieces of hunting of the desired color tacked on a wooden stick andwhen not in use they are supposed to be carried in the engine cab. Thesame train is often required to run without displaying this signalduring a portion of a trip and then, because of delays or when runningover the track of another road, 1t is necessary to display a signal flagfor longer or shorter periods. At the end of a run such flags arefrequently lost or mislaid and often through forgetfulness of thefireman a locomotive leaves the round house without flags. Inconsequence there is unnecessary loss of flags and not infrequently adelay in starting a train and in some instances absence of flags whenthey should be displayed.

My invention obviates this inefficiency by having suitable casings,containing the flags, constantly upon the locomotive ready for use.

- The drawings, forming a part of this specification illustrate what Iat present believe to be the best form of my device but it will bereadily understood that modifications are possible within the spirit ofmy 1nvention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy device showing one of the flags in extended position; Fig. 2 is anenlarged section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 and Fig. 3 is aSpecification of Letters Patent. Pate ted J 217 192 Application filedMay 23, 1921.

Serial No. 471,799.

is closed by doors 13 and 14 which are pivotally mounted upon rods 15,the ends of said rods belng secured in the top and bottom of the casing10. The door 14 is provided with a pair of eyes 16 near its ends and asimilar pair of eyes 17 are rigidly mounted on the casing 10 oppositethe eyes 16. I-Iehcal springs 18 connect the eyes 16 with the eyes 17 toresiliently hold the door 14 in closed position. The door 14 overlapsthe door 13 (as clearly shown in Fig. 2) so that the springs 18 alsooperate to hold the door 13 in closed position.

Revolubly supported at their ends in the top and bottom of the casing 10is a pair of spindles 19 and 20 which are bent at their upper ends toform cranks 21 and 22. Longitudinal movement of the spindles 19 and 20is prevented by cotter pins 23 which are inserted in suitableperforations in said spindles near their extremities. The flags proper24 and 25 are secured at their inner edgesto the spindles 19 and 20 by aseries of cotter pins 26 and the opposite edges of said flags are freeto be extended through the door openings.

In use my device is secured to the locomotive or railway car asdescribed above and when it is unnecessary to display the flags they arerolled upon the spindles 19 and 20 by manipulating the cranks 21 and 22.When thus furled the flags are effectually protected from weather andwear, the doors 13 and 14being'held shut by the springs 18. When itisdesired to display one of the flags, the door 13 or 14 is opened againstthe action of the spring 18 and the appropriate flag is withdrawn asshown in Figure 1. When it is desired to change flags the one displayedmay be quickly rolled up by manipulating the crank 21 or 22 and theother flag unfurled as described above.

For use on the front of locomotives I provide two of my signals, onewith the doors 13 and 14 opening to the left and the other with saiddoors opening to the right so that the flags are always accessible to bedisplayed on each side of the train.

Having described my inventionwhat I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described a casing adapted to be secured toa locomotive, a door in said casing, resilient means for normallyholding said door in closed position, a spindle revolubly mounted insaid casing, a flag secured at one edge to said spindle and arranged tobe frictionally engaged by said door When extended and means for turningsaid spindle to Wind said flag thereon.

2. In a device of the class described, a standard, a casing mounted onsaid standard, a door in said casing, a second door arranged in saidcasing to over-lap said first mentioned door, resilient means forholding said second door in closed position, spindles revolubly mountedin said casing, a flag secured at one edge to each of said spindles andmeans for rotating said spindles to Wind said flags thereon.

3. In a device of the class described, a standard, an upright casingmounted on said standard, a door in said casing, a second door arrangedon said casing to overlap said first mentioned door, springs to holdsaid second door in closed position, spindles revolubly mounted in theends of said casing, cranks on one end of each of said spindles, flagssecured at one edge to said spindles severally and arranged to beselectivelyextended through said doors.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

WILLIAM D. OARRINGTON.-

